Once In NYC
by StarDaze18
Summary: It was the chance Chandler had always waited for...will it turn out the way he had always hoped? Very sad! C&M, Next chapter up!
1. Prologue

Hey hey! I probably shouldn't be starting a new story as I have two unfinished ones going around now, but what the heck. This will be C&M mostly, it's very loosely based on a play I was in over the summer. I'm not going to tell you what since if any of you have seen it (I doubt it) it will ruin the ending. But hey, big time bonus points to anyone who can name it! I highly doubt anyone will, but whatever. Read and Review PLEASE!

Disclaimer: I own none of them. None none none none none none none. Poopie.

Prologue

The man sighed as he stepped out of the alleyway and onto the street. He glanced at the people running past on their way home from work. Some averted their eyes. Some seemed to feel sorry for him. Some glared at him and muttered under their breaths. And one interesting person gave him an evil look and screamed something in a foreign language, but the man could have sworn he heard a few colorful English words slipped in there. He sighed. He knew he looked homeless. He had no doubt about it. But reality was, he wasn't. He rented a small apartment toward the outside of the city. He hadn't gone to college and made almost no money, at least not enough to support himself. None of the well-to-do people in the city wanted anything to do with him. They rarely even looked at him. The only people that talked to him were the people who shared his apartment, Phoebe Buffay and Joey Tribianni. He had no identity. He barely even had a name. Chandler Bing.

Chandler wanted more out of life, even if he wouldn't admit it. He wanted to be out in the world, or at least in the city. He was waiting for something to happen, a chance of some kind. He was waiting for life to begin. He wanted the chance to make things better, to make something happen for himself. He knew that something had to happen. When he was a child, he had fallen into the lake at Central Park (AN: Is there a lake in Central Park? No idea. In this story there is.). He hadn't had any idea how to swim, but somehow he had floated to the surface where someone had grabbed him. He had clutched at this memory for years, convinced that the fact that he had survived meant that something was bound to happen for him, something that would dig him out of the hole that he had been living in since his parents died. Chandler knew that the chance would come soon. Very soon. Maybe even tonight.

He looked up at the sky. It had began to rain. He was filled with an incredible sense of emotion. Something was about to happen. He was sure of it.

Across the street, a door opened. A man and woman in their fifties stepped out of a classy restaurant, all dressed up. Rich people. The kind of people that Chandler didn't exactly hate, but very much envied, even though he was too proud to admit it. He rolled his eyes as the man frantically tried to summon for a cab and the woman refused to step more than a foot from the door for fear she would get wet. Then the door opened again.

Chandler caught his breath. Out of the restaurant stepped the most beautiful young woman he had ever laid eyes on. She had dark hair swept up into an elegant bun, and her pale skin shone even though the clouds covered the moon. She didn't seem to mind the rain, Chandler noticed. She stepped up beside her father, rain on her face, and spoke to him, shaking her head. Then she turned to the street. 

Headlights loomed in the distance.

TBC

Dun dun duuuuuuun. Hehehe, the next chapter will have more dialogue and action in it. All friends will be in the story, maybe we'll even get a little Rachel/Ross or Phoebe/Joey or whatever. Depends on what happens later! I'll try to update soon, it depends on how much homework my teachers manage to pile on me this week. Argh. High school sucks! PLEASE read and review, and it will get more interesting!! I promise!!


	2. Chapter 1

Hi everyone, thank you SO MUCH for all of your reviews! I'm so sorry this is so late, I've been way too busy for the past few months! And okay, there IS a lake in Central Park! Thanks to everyone who cleared that up for me! I'm such a Californian…ugh.

Chapter 1

The young woman stepped closer and closer to the street. Chandler watched her, transfixed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the headlights. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. The woman raised one long slender arm and waved to a taxicab. The headlights grew closer…closer…

All of a sudden, Chandler was moving. He wasn't even aware of breaking into a run, but something took over him, and he was sprinting across the street. The headlights and the woman grew closer and closer to him, until he threw himself forward.

He landed on the curb with the woman under him, both flat on the cold pavement. The eighteen-wheeler zoomed by, the driver not even noticing. For about half a second, Chandler heard nothing. Then in broke the sound of a woman crying hysterically.

"Jack! Jack! Look what he did, Jack! He killed her! My baby is dead! Call the police, Jack! Have him arrested! Call our lawyer, we'll sue!"

"Calm down, Mom," said a new voice. Chandler looked up to see a young man about his own age standing over him. The girl next to him was looking worriedly at the woman who lay crumpled and still beneath Chandler. "She's not dead," added the man.

"I don't care," his mother snapped. "He bounded in out of nowhere and tackled her right onto the cement! I am NOT going to let this go by unpunished!"

"He was pushing her out of the way, Judy," Jack said soothingly. "Didn't you see the truck? I would have done it, but I didn't see the truck myself until it was almost too late."

"He saved her life, Mom," their son pointed out. "You should be thanking him, not threatening to press charges."

"I think she's all right, Judy," said the other girl softly as she straightened up. "She hit her head, but that's nothing compared to what would have happened if the truck had hit her." The woman let out a soft moan. "See? She's waking up already."

"Thank you, Rachel. We should get her home," said Judy hastily. "Ross, carry her, would you?"

"Of course," said Ross nervously. He lifted the woman, who Chandler assumed was his sister, and turned away. The woman gave a little moan as her eyelids fluttered. 

"…Ross?"

"Go ahead and sleep, Monica," Ross told her. "You hit your head."

"Fine," she muttered as her eyes shut again.

"Take this, boy," said Jack gruffly as he pressed a hundred dollar bill into Chandler's hand. "Thank you for your assistance." He turned to follow Ross. Judy followed him, determined to not even glance in Chandler's direction. Rachel shook her head and smiled at Chandler.

"Judy's a piece of work, isn't she? Sorry about that," she said kindly.

"No problem." Chandler finally spoke. "Is she…she's going to be okay?"

"Of course," said Rachel. "Just a bump on the head. Judy, Jack and everybody are going to be worried, though. Monica's everybody's perfect little girl, nothing bad could ever happen to her." Chandler noted amusement rather than jealousy in her comment.

"So…she's really going to be alright? Is there anything I can do at all? I'll do whatever she wants."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. "You like her, don't you?"

"What? Well…yeah…" Chandler admitted.

"Not a good idea," she said hastily. "It's just…you're from two different worlds, you know?"

"How can there be two completely different worlds in one city?" asked Chandler.

"There just are," insisted Rachel. "Believe me. Not to be rude or anything, but you wouldn't exactly fit in with us, you know? Did you notice the way Judy refused to even look at you?"

"So what?"

"So, stay away from the Gellers. Trust me, it's not a life you would adjust to. Stick to people from your own neighborhood." Rachel glared sternly at him. "Remember, DO NOT try to track her down. Even if you could find her, you could never get into the building or her life. It doesn't work like that." She turned away and hurried after the departing family. 

Chandler watched their backs as they continued down the street. I will get there, he thought. I will get into the building. This is what I have been waiting for. She is what I have been waiting for.

Monica.

"Hey Pheebs, hey Joe, check it out!" 

Chandler burst into the tiny two room run-down apartment that he shared with Joey Tribianni and Phoebe Buffay. They were lying on the floor, reading a newspaper they had gotten from somewhere. "Hi Chandler," said Joey tonelessly. "What?"

"This is what." Chandler held up the bill. "Clothes, food and toilet paper for a month baby!"

"Wow!!" Phoebe jumped up and ran closer to look at the paper. "I've never seen bills that were higher than my age before! Where did you get it?"

"Um…I found it," said Chandler, not wishing to repeat the whole thing until he had sorted out what it meant.

"Nice!" Joey had come over too. "Pizza all next week!"

"Screw pizza, I'm buying a dog!" Phoebe said excitedly. "So someone just dropped this on the ground? They must have been pretty rich, considering they probably don't even miss it."

"Yeah, the guy was rolling in money," Chandler agreed absentmindedly.

Joey and Phoebe stared at him. "What? You…you saw him drop it?" asked Joey.

Chandler realized him mistake. "Er, well, yeah, but-"

"And you didn't stop him and give it back?" interrupted Phoebe. "Nice work!"

"Wait…what?" said Chandler, confused.

"I'm so glad you're growing out of this 'oh, let's not worry about ourselves, let's do the right thing' phase," Phoebe said. "I was getting so sick of it. You fend for yourself out here, don't worry about anyone else. I'm glad you finally realized that."

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "I don't worry about anyone but Joey. Well, and Phoebe and Chandler of course."

"Aw!" said Phoebe, giving him a sort of sideways hug.

"Um…have you guys ever heard of the Gellers?" asked Chandler suddenly.

Phoebe and Joey stopped and looked at one another. They slowly turned to look at Chandler. "Why do you want to know?" asked Phoebe quietly.

Chandler was surprised at their reaction. "No reason…I heard the name today, and I wondered…they looked pretty important…"

"Wait…was it Jack Geller who dropped this? THE Jack Geller?" Joey asked.

"Um…well, not exactly…"

"OH MY GOD!" yelled Joey, ecstatic. "We have a hundred-dollar bill that once belonged to JACK GELLER!" 

"The Gellers are your basic big-ass important rich snobby family," Phoebe explained. "Jack is a big shot in the stock market, and his wife comes from a family exactly like his. Their son, Ross, is estimated to inherit 6.1 billion someday."

"Holy crap," Chandler muttered. "And their daughter?"

"Monica?" asked Phoebe. "Your basic rich family princess. Center of everyone's lives and focal point of all their attention. They dote on her, and she enjoys it."

"Wow," said Chandler softly. "And there was another girl, is she a daughter too? What was her name, Rachel?"

"Jeez, how close were you to hear all this stuff?" asked Phoebe. Before Chandler could think up an answer, she barreled on. "Rachel Green's father is almost as rich as the Gellers. She and Ross have been engaged practically since they were five, they just made it official a few days ago. Whether it's because they like each other or because their parents like them together, we don't know. Tabloids argue back and forth all the time."

"But dang, the girl is HOT," commented Joey. Phoebe elbowed him.

"Why the curiosity, anyway?" she asked.

"Because…you guys, Jack Geller didn't drop this," Chandler finally admitted. "He gave it to me."

"He GAVE it to you?" said Joey incredulously. "But…why?" Chandler told them the whole story. When he was done, Phoebe and Joey looked shocked.

"Holy shit," Phoebe said to herself. "You saved Monica Geller's life."

"Yeah," sighed Chandler, looking at the floor and smiling.

"Oh my god," said Phoebe softly. "You're…you're…"

Joey broke in. "Chandler's in love!" he called out, grinning from ear to ear. Chandler made no attempt to deny it.

"I have to go find her," Chandler said determinedly. "Even if her father is richer than Oliver Warbucks and her mother hates me, I have to find her."

"Candler, it's impossible," Joey told him. "There's no way you can get into their building, and even if you could, you have no chance with her."

"He's right," Phoebe added. "Forget out of your league, she's out of your universe. Monica Geller is going to end up with the next Bill Gates, and you, if you're lucky, will be able to afford a tiny house in Long Island. Give it up, it's not going to happen."

"You guys are wrong," Chandler told them. "I can find her building, and I will get in, and Monica will marry me. There's no way in the world it can't happen. I saved her life. I'll never be able to let her go." He looked at them pleadingly. "If you guys are my friends at all, please, don't try to stop me. Give me your blessing and let me go. I will go."

Phoebe and Joey looked at each other in defeat. "Fine," Phoebe said, looking incredibly sorry for Chandler. "They live in the penthouse on the tallest building on 5th avenue. Go, and good luck."

"Good luck, man," said Joey, giving Chandler a quick hug. Phoebe did the same.

Chandler smiled at them and walked out of the room and down the street. Phoebe and Joey watched him go, their eyes welling up with tears. There was no way Chandler knew what he was getting into.

Chandler walked and walked and finally reached the tallest building. He straightened out his clothes and stood up straight and walked to the door.

A doorman was posted right outside the door, nodding and smiling to the high society types that walked in. Chandler attempted to slip by him unnoticed, but the doorman spotted him. "You! Where do you think you're going?"

Chandler froze and looked at him. "I…uh…I'm here to visit, er, Jack Geller."

"Jack Geller? You?" The doorman looked at him in disbelief. "How is it that a man like Jack Geller is acquainted with the likes of you?"

"I met him today," Chandler said quickly. "I, uh, did him a favor. Now may I please go see him?"

The doorman hesitated. "I guess so," he said slowly. "Go on in."

Chandler grinned and walked into the lobby. He had made it! He just had to get to the top floor, and he was in! He ran over to the elevator. It seemed to take forever for the doors to open, and even longer for it to go up to the top floor. Finally, they swung open and Chandler stepped out. He ran to the door and knocked.

He could hear things inside, music and talking and laughter. "Must be having a party," he muttered to himself.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door swung open. A familiar face peered out. "Yes?"

Chandler froze. "Monica?" he whispered.

TBC

Well, that's done! Maybe I can have an update here soon if my teachers decide to ease up a little on the homework. I'll do my best! Please R&R! For those of you who celebrate it…HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 


	3. Chapter 2

Whoops! Maybe I'd better just stop making allusions to NY, as I obviously can't pull it off…I meant the tallest APARTMENT building on 5th avenue, I guess…ANYWAY, please review!

Chapter 2

"Monica?" Chandler whispered.

Monica stared at him in confusion. "I'm sorry…do I know you?" She looked him up and down. Chandler noticed her eyes linger on his smudged hands and worn clothes.

"I…I…" Chandler could not get words out.

"Monica, who is it, dear?" Footsteps approached, and Judy Geller appeared beside her daughter. "Yes, what do you want?"

Chandler couldn't believe she didn't recognize him. All he could do was stare. 

The open door was causing a disturbance by this time. Two more people appeared, and this time they seemed to acknowledge that they had once seen Chandler before. 

"What are you doing here?" asked Ross.

"Um, Judy, I think the food table is running low," said Rachel quickly.

"Oh, I'd better go fill it," said Judy distractedly, running off. Ross and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what are you doing here?" Ross asked again.

"I told you not to come!" moaned Rachel.

"You guys know him?" asked Monica.

"Oh, let's go out in the hall," said Rachel. The other three stepped outside with Chandler and shut the door.

"Seriously, who are you? Have we met before, because I think…" Monica began.

"This is the guy from last night, Monica," Ross explained. "The guy who saved your life?"

"That was YOU?" exclaimed Monica, looking at Chandler again. "But Mom told me it was one of the Backstreet Boys!"

"Well, Mom lies," Ross muttered.

"Yeah, she could have had better taste anyway," agreed Rachel.

"I don't believe it," said Monica.

Chandler finally found his voice. "It was."

"Well…" Now Monica was at loss for words. "Well, thank you then!"

"Yeah, now I'll say it again…WHAT are you doing here?" Ross asked for the third time. Chandler had no answer.

Rachel thought she knew what was going on in Chandler's head, and she felt sorry for him. "You guys, that's not important. Look, it's late, why don't we go back to the party? Chandler can stay in one of the spare bedrooms tonight," she suggested.

Ross nodded in agreement. "There's plenty of room, and Dad won't mind."

"What about Mom?" asked Monica.

"Who cares?" said Ross and Rachel together.

"It's fine, I really don't have to-" Chandler started.

"Oh please, we can't let you go all the way back home tonight," said Ross. "Come on."

Rachel opened the door and they walked back in. The room was full of dressed-up people talking and laughing. They all smiled at Ross, Rachel and Monica, and stared curiously at Chandler as they walked past. Ross led the group down a hallway, through a door, and down another hallway before stopping at a door.

"This is one of the smaller rooms, but it's probably more private," he said, opening the door.

Chandler gasped. The interior of the room was well furnished and comfortable looking. It was also huge – this one room was bigger than the entire place that he shared with Phoebe and Joey. "It's great," he managed to stammer.

"If you need anything, let us know," said Rachel. "We really should go back, our parents are going to freak out if we don't get there soon," she added, rolling her eyes. Monica nodded in agreement.

"You guys go ahead, okay? I'm going to help Chandler settle in," Ross said. Rachel nodded. Ross kissed her briefly, and they smiled at each other. Chandler remembered what Phoebe had told him about the tabloids doubting the reason for Ross and Rachel's engagement. "Most definitely love," he thought.

Monica smiled at Chandler. "Thanks again," she said. "I really appreciate it. I hope we can spend some time together while you're here," she added. Chandler managed to nod, and the girls left.

"Mom'll love that," Ross commented. "Look, Chandler, we need to talk."

"What's up?" asked Chandler, more at ease now that Monica was in the room.

"You like my sister."

"Is it that obvious?" Chandler grinned. "Well…who wouldn't? She's beautiful, and nice, and smart, and sweet-"

"Yeah yeah," said Ross impatiently. "Listen, you have to get over it. Nothing can ever happen between the two of you, you know? My mother would freak…Monica would probably be like disinherited or something."

"I don't care, Ross," said Chandler softly.

"I can see that." Ross sighed. "Well, whatever. I have to go back now, I'll see you later."

"Later." Chandler sighed and flopped down onto the enormous bed.

The next few days were a dream come true for Chandler, and, although he did not know it, Monica as well.

Chandler's door creaked open around two A.M., and someone whispered his name. He sat straight up in bed, but it was only Monica. She sat beside him on the bed, and they talked for hours.

They went out the next morning for bagels downstairs. Monica listened intently as Chandler shared stories of the things he'd done with Phoebe and Joey.

They went to a karaoke bar that night. Monica marveled at the voice Chandler had – for someone with no training, it was practically perfect.

Monica snuck out of her own room and spent the night beside Chandler that night. For two strangers that had only known each other for a few hours, they had grown incredibly close, much to the guilty delight of Ross and Rachel.

"If my mother finds out, she'll kill us all," Ross muttered. "Especially considering the circumstances."  
"But it's so sweet!" argued Rachel. Ross had to agree.

And finally, as was typical in the Geller household, it was time for another party.

This time Chandler agreed to come too. Even though Monica offered several times to borrow clothes for him from Ross, he refused and wore exactly what he had come in. 

Just when the guests began to arrive, Judy called Monica into her room.

"Wait with Ross and Rachel, okay?" she whispered to Chandler. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Chandler nodded.

"Be right back," Monica whispered. After hesitating for just a second, she kissed him quickly and left.

"What is it, Mom?" she asked, walking into the room.

"Zip me up, dear," Judy requested, turning her back to her daughter. Monica walked forward obediently.

They stood in silence for a few seconds. "Monica, I've been hearing things from friends," Judy finally said.

"Oh? What things?" Monica asked, only mildly interested.

"Things about you and that boy," Judy said flatly. "Several people have seen you together downtown."

"Really," said Monica lightly.

"Yes, really," said Judy. She turned toward her daughter. "How long do you think you'll be playing this game?"

"It's not a game mom," said Monica, annoyed.

"Oh please, dear. Surely you can't believe it's real?"

"Mom, I love Chandler!" Monica snapped.

"I don't care, dear," Judy said calmly. "You are a Geller. You must do what people expect of you."

"What if I don't LIKE doing what people expect of me?" Monica asked. "When I'm with Chandler, I feel like I can be myself. I don't always have to have my back straight and my shoulders back and my chin tilted up. I don't have to worry about what I say and who I say it to. Chandler knows the real me, and he LIKES it."

"Yes, dear," said Judy. "But I'm afraid there's simply no future. Your little fling can't last much longer, you have more important things to do than run around with the likes of him."

Then she left.

"Well HELLO, Richard!"

Ross and Rachel and Chandler could hear Jack's voice from across the room. Ross and Rachel glanced at each other worriedly, but Chandler merely smiled at a returning Monica. "You okay?"

"Fine," said Monica, forcing a smile.

"Hello, everyone!" A tall man with a moustache walked up to them.

"Hi Richard!" said Ross and Rachel, smiling brightly. The band finished their song and announced that they would welcome requests.

"Chandler, you should sing!" Monica said quickly. Ross and Rachel agreed, having heard from Monica what an amazing voice Chandler had.

"Oh no, I couldn't," Chandler answered.

"Come on, please?" Monica begged.

"Yes, go ahead, Chandler," said Richard, sneering slightly as he looked over Chandler's simple clothes. 

"Well…" Chandler hesitated. "All right, fine," he said finally, looking at Monica.

"This should be good," muttered Richard as Chandler walked up and requested a song. Monica glared at him.

Everyone who had previously sneered at Chandler stood staring as he sang. He honestly had a wonderful voice – not that anyone but Ross, Rachel and Monica would admit it. They stared all throughout the song, making Chandler very nervous. As he finished, all rolled their eyes and pointed at Chandler, once again gossiping amongst themselves. Ignoring them, Chandler made his way back to Monica.

"You have a very strong voice, Chandler," Richard said as he approached. He put his arm around Monica. "I only hope that you will sing at Monica's and my wedding."

TBC

Heheheh. Hopefully, no one saw that coming…aw, poor Chandler! And it only gets worse! Ah well, please review, and, as the holidays are coming up, I'll hopefully get another chapter up soon! Thanks!


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